1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a female terminal for holding a belt-shaped inserting segment for electrical connection and a connector having the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
A motor vehicle has a wire harness for supplying a signal and electrical power to a variety of electronic devices mounted therein. The wire harness has a plurality of electrical wires and connectors attached to ends of the electrical wires. JP, 2001-210418,A discloses that each connector has a tube-shaped connector housing made of an insulating synthetic resin and a female terminal 50 received in the connector housing as depicted in FIG. 12.
The female terminal 50 has an electrical contacting portion 51 and an electrical wire connecting portion 52 attached to the electrical wire (not shown). The electrical wire connecting portion 52 is linked with the electrical contacting portion 51. The electrical contacting portion 51 has a tube 53 and a resilient contacting piece 54, which is bent and received in the tube 53. The tube 53 or the electrical contacting portion 51 accepts a male tab 56 of a male terminal 55.
The male terminal 55 has the male tab 56 with a plate shape as an inserting segment and an electrical wire connecting portion (not shown) attached to an electrical wire.
When the male tab 56 is inserted into the tube 53, the male tab 56 abuts on the resilient contacting piece 54 and is urged against an inner wall of the tube 53 with the resilient contacting piece 54 and sandwiched between the inner wall and the resilient contacting piece 54. The male terminal 55 is thereby electrically connected to the female terminal 50 with a top portion 57 of the resilient contacting piece 54 contacting the male tab 56.
In the conventional configuration, the female terminal 50 is relatively moved to the male tab 56 due to vibration of an motor vehicle engine disposed close to the connector. The male tab 56 thus slidably moves on the inner wall of the tube 53. The resilient contacting piece 54 thereby causes a plastic deformation and reduces the urging force against the male tab 56. The slidable contact between the male tab 56 and the top portion 57 of the resilient contacting piece 54 removes a plate plating thereof and causes oxidation thereof, resulting in an increase of resistance between the female and male terminals 50 and 55.